1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an X-ray diagnostic device which includes an X-ray generator for feeding an X-ray source and means for determining the dose applied during an X-ray examination of a patient.
2. Description of Related Art
An X-ray diagnostic device of this kind is known from DE-OS 2 124 035 (page 2, second paragraph). The dose is measured therein by means of an ionization chamber which is attached to an ionization chamber connected to the X-ray source. The ionization chamber has such a large surface area that it intercepts all X-rays emanating from the primary diaphragm even in the case of the maximum radiation field size that can be adjusted by means of the primary diaphragm. The output signal of the ionization chamber thus corresponds to the dose surface product measured in .mu.Gy*m.sup.2.
The dose surface product is a purely physical quantity which corresponds to the surface integral of KERMA (Kinetic Energy Released in MAtter) in air. This physical quantity only conditionally provides information about the radiation load for the patient being examined or about the effective dose which takes into account the various risks of the individual organs or tissues in respect of stochastic irradiation. When exposed to the same applied dose surface product, for example, the X-rays will damage the bladder of a patient significantly more than the skull of the patient.
Citation of a reference herein, or throughout this specification, is not to construed as an admission that such reference is prior art to the Applicant's invention of the invention subsequently claimed.